Nothing to Break Us
by Taylor Jae
Summary: Troy and Gabriella just finished up their days at Lava Springs and are looking to the future. What will the summer hold for them? With some ups, some downs, and some help from a thing called love, they know they'll be OK, no matter what happens. COMPLETE!
1. Knowing

A/N: This is going to be the first story in a trilogy

**A/N: This is going to be the first story in a trilogy. I've always wanted to write one of those and this one is just taking shape. Tell me what you think, OK? That would be much, much appreciated. **

Chapter One

**Gabriella's POV **

It was summer, just days after ending work at Lava Springs. We all agreed, unanimously, not to ever work there again, no matter how great the pay was. I was still dating Troy and things were going great for us. All we had now was a full two months of freedom and friendship. And love. Lots and lots of love. We were sure now that everything was going to be OK. At least, that's what we all hoped.

"Troy, Stoppit!" I screeched loudly as Troy continued to tickle me.

"Say the magic words", he sing-songed into my ear.

"Never", I replied spitefully. I loved to tease him.

"Will you guys please quit it?" Chad called over from his spot on the log in front of the camp-fire.

"No", Troy answered, smiling down at me. "We will not stop it. I'm in the middle of tickle-torture here. Want to come help?" He grinned at his best friend.

"Noooo!" I howled in laughter.

"No, that's alright", said Chad's girlfriend, Taylor as she came out into the yard from her house. She also happens to be my best friend. "We'll just watch. Won't we, Chad?" She said to her boyfriend.

"Yes", Chad replied sadly and Taylor smiled at him and then looked over to me. "Go ahead", she said then. "You know you want to." Chad jumped up, ran over, and started to tickle me, too.

"Say, 'Uncle'", he commanded.

"Never!" I said again. He tickled me harder and faster. Until at last I cracked. "Uncle" I cried desperately. "Uncle!" Chad and Troy let me go and I was gasping for breath I was laughing so hard.

"You let her off easy", my boyfriend insisted as he helped me up.

"I did?" Chad looked genuinely confused.

"You did", Troy confirmed. "I wouldn't let her off so quickly."

"Oh, of course you would've", I said to him, leading both boys over to the camp fire where the rest of our friends were. "Otherwise, I wouldn't get to do this." He knew where I was going with this. He looked at me seriously. And then he leaned in, and kissed me.

--

**Troy's POV **

Kissing her, as it always did, made me feel like flying. I loved the effect she had on me. As much trust as I'd lost in the whole Lava Springs ordeal, I'd gained it all back. And do you know why? Because she loves me and because I love her. She means more to me than she even knows. Gabriella has no idea how strongly I feel for her. I know as well as anyone that we're only seventeen and going to be seniors after this summer. I already know that. But I also know that I love Brie more than anyone else in the entire world. I also know that no matter how many people deny it or think its fake, I know in my heart that our love is not. It never has. It never will be.

_I get way too sappy sometimes. _

But, looking over at Brie, and watching her smile and laugh, I knew I loved her. I knew I did. And that I always would.


	2. Just Because I Love You

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**No one's POV: **

"This is nice", Gabriella said softly to her boyfriend as she lazily lay down on the blanket.

"It is", Troy agreed, leaning down to kiss her.

And it was.

The two were out on the bank of a little lake, on a bright, clear early June morning. Troy had packed a picnic basket and off they went, on their own little adventure. Gabriella breathed in deep and looked up at the sky. And then she turned to Troy, who was lying next to her.

"I love you", is what she said. And she meant it. He knew she did.

"I love you, too, Brie", Troy said lazily. He fingered some of her long brown-black hair. He loved everything about her. And that included her looks, but his love for her went so much deeper it was funny to think he loved her for superficial things like her looks in the first place. He'd never felt any other way with any other girl. All any other girl cared about was what he looked like, and what they looked like together. Gabriella, however, cared that he loved her and cared about him, as a person. No one else had done that. No one else made him feel this way.

It might've been in the heat of that simple moment, lying next to her staring at the sky, but he knew what he felt and that was it. He loved her. That was all there was to it. She was the one who saved him. She saved him everyday. Every single day.

**Gabriella's POV: **

I looked over at Troy and wanted to kiss him. To have him wrap me up in his arms and love me. I knew he did, he said it all the time, and that then was enough for the both of us. At least for now. We loved each other, sure, but we weren't stupid. We knew very well of the futures we would throw away and they were too important to have us go any further than where we were right then.

"Well", I said then, "what are we going to do?"

"When?"

"This summer", I answered, not bothering to shift positions.

"Have fun. Laugh", Troy suggested smiling. "Smile." Then he looked at me and said, "but it looks like you've got that covered." Then we both laughed, sending the butterflies resting on the flowers next to the lake flying into the sunshine, off on an adventure. I smiled then. That was how we were, too.

**Troy's POV: **

Later that night, we were still there, on that blanket. We hadn't moved all day. And now, there we were, Brie resting in my arms and neither of us saying a word. We were almost too comfortable with each other. That hadn't always been the case, though.

_Flashback: _

_Troy wanted to laugh at her nervousness. She looked flustered, in the bright lights of the restaurant where most of East High was spending the time after the Championship He had just asked her to be his girlfriend, and she looked so flustered he wondered if he shouldn't done it. Maybe it was too soon. Maybe she didn't want to and didn't know how to say no to him. Or maybe she did want to and there was another guy back home. If there was, Troy decided then, he'd kill him. OK. So he wouldn't. But he felt like he might. _

_"Yes", he heard someone say and glanced around. And then the person said it again. "Yes." Troy then looked down to see Gabriella looking up at him nervously. _

_"What did you say?" He couldn't help asking. _

_"I said, 'yes'", she said laughing. And then he pulled her into him, and kissed her._

_End Flashback_

But now it was.

We could spend hours with each other. We'd laugh and have fun. We'd kiss and do our homework and eat the cookies her mother made. We'd shoot hoops and I'd always let her win. And when I did, she would always accuse me, and stay mad until I came over and kissed her. She loved me, she said, too much to stay mad. But, she always said, she was going to win the next game, and yet it happened again. That was how we were, though. That was how we'd always be. 

"What?" Brie said, breaking my thoughts, to look at her.

"What?"

"You were smiling", she said. "Why?"

"Oh", I said, "just because I love you."


	3. Nothing Happened

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Gabriella's POV: **

I lay in my bed, staring up at the ceiling. The sun shone bright in my room and I lay unmoving. I had for the past half hour. Finally, I dragged myself out of the comfort of my bed and stumbled into the kitchen. My mother was working and my little sister, Julia, who was 14, was over at her friend's house. I poured myself a bowl of cheerios and ate them. Then, I skipped up to my shower. After, I went back to my closet. For that day, I picked out a medium-wash jean skirt that had some fading and went down almost to my knees. For my top, I put on a tight-fitting, cap-sleeved, dark salmon-colored shirt with lace detailing at the bottom. I slipped on a pair of flip-flops, put my hair up in a messy bun, put in a big pair of earrings, and opened up my cell phone as I headed out the door and into my car.

"Hey", I giggled into the phone when I heard his voice.

"Hey, you", Troy said back. I could hear him smiling into the phone. "So", he said, "what's up?"

"Nothin'", I answered. "Only that I'm on my way to your house." Troy laughed.

"Oh, thanks for alerting me."

"No problem", I said, smiling to myself. "I'm almost there, so I'll have to hang up. I'll look like an idiot if I'm talking to you on the phone while I'm pulling into your driveway."

"What? You'd rather look like an idiot than talk to me?" I giggled.

"No", I said. "Of course not. But I really do have to go now."

"Fine", he said in his fakest, sternest voice. He always let me go. Always. But then, he was always the one to pull me back in.

**Troy's POV: **

I snapped my phone shut and smiled again. I loved it when we laughed together. That was why I teased her. Just so I could hear her beautiful laugh. It was the most beautiful, most sincere sound I'd ever heard in my whole life. I almost couldn't get enough of it. She meant more to me than anything and everything in the entire world.

And then there she was.

Smiling and singing to the radio, she pulled in, jumped out of the car and into my arms.

"Hey", she said softly in my neck.

"Didn't we already go through this on the phone?" I asked teasingly.

"Oh, you sill boy", she said, hugging me again.

"Well, didn't we?" She pulled apart and stood back, looking at me.

"Yes", she said. "We did. I just wanted to say it again." I almost melted right there when she kissed me.

"Who's the idiot now?" I asked when we pulled apart. She smiled, remembering the phone conversation, and kissed me again. I wrapped an arm around her waist and we walked into my house. We sat on the couch, watching TV. We threw pillows at each other and made fun of the dumb commercials.

"I love this", I heard my girlfriend say softly a few hours later at about two in the afternoon, lying in my arms.

"I love this, too", I said. "But you know what else I love?"

"What?" She said, not moving.

"Ice cream." Now she sat up and looked at me.

"Ice cream?" She thought about it a minute and then got up off the couch and took my hand. I led her out to the sidewalk.

"Should we drive or walk?" I asked her.

"Let's walk. It's a beautiful day." And so that's what we did. We walked to the Dairy Queen a half of a mile away.

It was then that we ran into Sharpay Evans.

**Gabriella's POV: **

I kept my grip on Troy's hand nice and tight. I couldn't let go. I didn't want to. Sharpay, as sweet as she pretended to be and as good as she was at sucking up to almost everyone, was still a huge threat to me. In her presence, I suddenly felt so much less than I had only seconds before and all wrong. I looked down at my pink-painted toe-nails then back up again. Troy looked at me and smiled, squeezing my hand reassuringly. I couldn't help but not smile back. I was too nervous.

Sharpay was with a bunch of people from the drama club. I was surprised to even see her there. Shouldn't she be at Black Joe's Coffee Shop, sipping espresso and reading Shakespeare? But then moment I thought it, I knew that, as dramatic as she was, a dark place was no place for Sharpay Evans. She liked places like Diary Queen. She also liked to have her own way.

"It's OK, Brie", Troy said softly as he held the door open for me. "Just ignore her."

Was he kidding me?

I couldn't _just ignore Sharpay_. No way. With someone like Sharpay, it's impossible to ignore her. Unless she's ignoring you. But at that moment she came up and said, all perk, "Hey, guys!" I smiled stiffly.

"Uh, hey, Sharpay", I said softly. But she barely heard me. She was too busy staring at Troy, who looked as uncomfortable now as I did. I wanted to run straight home and hide, but I knew I couldn't do that. I couldn't let myself lose when the game had hardly begun. I just couldn't.

"So, Troy", Sharpay said flirtatiously, wrapping her arms around Troy's neck.

"Sharpay, just don't, OK?" Troy said sternly and she backed off, startled. I guess it's hard not being wanted by one person. I knew I was being stupid, but I didn't care. I could tell Troy didn't either.

Troy and I walked out of the ice cream shop without ordering anything. He looked nervous. He finally let me in on it when he said, "Nothing happened. You know that, right?"

"Yeah", I said. "I'm just glad nothing did."

"Me too", Troy said. "Me too."

**A/N: Vanessa's song, "Make You Mine", inspired this chapter. I LOVE that song. Tell me what you think: REVIEW!! **


	4. Miscommunication

A/N: Sorry, guys, that it took me so long to get back to this story

**A/N: Sorry, guys, that it took me so long to get back to this story. I'm just home from a piano recital and I was dying to show you this new chapter. Now, things are really going to start happening. I need some ideas, though, so when you review I would LOVE it if you gave me some. You'll be sure to gt credit for them when and if I use them, OK? That would be much appreciated. Anyway, here comes installment four to this story and I hope you all enjoy it. **

Chapter 4

**Gabriella's POV: **

Nothing happened, I told myself again. _Nothing happened_.

Right?

I shook my head and walked around my room again. I'd been thinking about the incident with Sharpay for the past few days and it was bugging me.

I hated the way she'd looked at him. I hated the way she'd flirted with him. I hated that Troy had to assure me that nothing happened and that things were fine. Even though I knew they were in serious jeopardy of being lost.

I hated that I was jealous.

I wasn't jealous of _Sharpay_. I never had been and never would be. I was jealous of the way she could make me feel so mad.

Even Troy was more careful. He was dancing around me as if I might break if Sharpay's name came up. And even though I most likely would, I would've rather died than admitted it.

Just then, my cell phone rang. The screen showed it was Troy calling. I shrank back from the phone as if it were a snake ready to bite me.

Usually, when Troy called, I would race to my phone and not get off for at least an hour. But now, though, I didn't feel like talking to him. I didn't feel like hearing him say, "nothing happened, Brie. I swear. You have to know that", like I had been for the past few days. But I couldn't npt talk to him, either, right?

Right?

I paced and paced until the call ended. I felt bad about not answering and I knew he was starting to worry, but I couldn't help myself. I didn't want to let myself get jealous or upset. I couldn't let myself see that the reality as I knew it might be ending.

A while later, Troy texted me. The second the tone started for the text, my sister, Julia came into my room and sat on the floor next to me, the both of us leaning on the side of my bed.

"Hey, Jewels", I said to her. Then the tone started again and Julia asked, "Who's that?" I sighed again/

"Troy."

Now my sister looked confused. I couldn't blame her. She'd seen me run faster than I ever had in my life just to read a text that said, "love you, Brie". She'd even seen me take out my phone during church to answer a text. She'd never seen me not answer one.

"Why don't you answer it?"

"Because I can't."

"Did Mom take it away from you?" She sounded sorry and I knew she was. That had happened to her plenty of times, for too much texting. My mother had no clue of how much texting I did when she wasn't in the room.

"No", I said, shaking my head.

"Well, why don't you answer it?" I was getting frustrated. I was fed up.

"Because I just can't, Jewels, OK?" I said. "Because I just can't." I must've said it harsher than I'd thought because my sister looked like I'd slapped her. I should've felt bad. But I was too angry at Sharpay to forgive my sister just yet.

"I was only trying to help", she said softly. And then she got up and left before I could remember to say I was sorry.

**Troy's POV: **

I sighed.

I'd been texting and calling Brie for the past few days and not getting a response.

I didn't know what was up with her and it was starting to really bug me. It was scaring me to not know what was up with my girlfriend and not knowing anything I could do about it.

I decided to call her again.

"C'mon, Brie", I murmured to myself as the phone started to ring. "Please pick up." I started to feel a tiny bit hopeful when I heard a pause, but it was only her answering machine. And as desperate as I was to hear her voice, I left a message. I had to.

"Hey, it's Gabriella. I'm not available right now but leave a message and I'll get back to you."

"Hey, Brie", I said. "It's me, Troy, calling again" God, I sounded like an idiot. "Please, please call me, OK, Brie? I need to know what's up with you. I love you. I always will."

_Beeeeeep!_

**A/N: I won't update unless I get ten reviews on this chapter. I'm serious. REVIEW!!**


	5. Waiting

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Gabriella's POV: **

Great, I thought to myself. Just great.

Now I'd wrecked two relationships. With two people I care more about than anything. What the heck was _wrong_ with me?

"Gabriella!" My mother called, sending her voice floating up the stairs. "Dinner!" I sighed again and hauled myself up off the floor on which I'd been lying on in my room and went down the stairs. As I slid into my seat, I glanced at my sister. She wouldn't look at me, but instead was staring hard at her plate. I quickly looked away and I wondered if my mother could feel the tension fizzing across the table. I knew I could.

"So", my mother said to break up the mood. "Did you have a good day?"

Did I ever, I thought to myself bitterly. I knew I was being a baby. I knew I could've very easily called Troy up and everything would've been fine. I myself didn't know why I was acting the way I was. And, darn her, she was looking right at me. I nodded in response and quickly looked away again.

"How 'bout you, Jewels?"

I knew this trick. Julia was always the one to liven things up her stories of boys and cliques and what the lunch menu.

Usually.

Now, though, Julia didn't even look at my mother. She was still staring hard at her plate and stirring her peas around her plate with her fork and not eating any.

When we got done with the minimal amount of food we could get away with, both Julia and I escaped to our rooms. About an hour after I'd gotten up there, I sat on my bed and pulled out a box that I kept underneath my bed. That box held every single note I'd ever gotten from Troy and a recap/listing of every phone call and text. I pulled a note out and unfolded it. I smiled as I began to read.

_Brie, _

_It's finally Friday! I'm excited. Are you excited? Well, you should be. You know why? Because you get to…watch your boyfriend play basketball! I was thinking we'd grab a burger or something before the game, just you and me. What do you think? I'll bring you home or call you after practice, OK? _

_Love forever and for always, _

_Troy _

Adfter I read the note, I got up and marched myself into my sister's room.

"Jewels?" I said quietly. My sister stirred in her sleep and I quickly exited the room, not wanting to wake her up. I ran back to my room and slammed the door harder than I had to. Being without him for as long as I had, reading his notes, listening to his voice as he left a message, sounding worried and scared, made me want to cry. I closed my eyes and tears climbed up under my lids and dammed up in the back of my eyes. I pressed myself against the wall and bowed my head until it touched my kneecaps.

And then I waited. I waited and waited for him to call.

**Troy's POV: **

It was late.

Much too late, certainly, for me to still be up. But I was.

I was sitting on my bed, looking over at my phone and pictures of Brie. I kept opening and closing my phone constantly, frantic, certain that I had somehow missed a call from Brie, saying that she was OK and that Sharpay wasn't a threat anymore and that she was perfectly fine.

That incident with Sharpay had seemed so small to me. Probably because it had always been like that. Probably because I was used to it.

It was then that I realized.

To Brie, the incident most likely seemed so much more than I had ever thought it to be. Ever since she'd gotten here, all Sharpay had done was make trouble for her. Sharpay had plated dirty and almost snagged me away from her. Brie, I realized now, was probably scared of it happening again.

That made me scared, too.

Very scared.

We had done so much to get together and stay that way. We both knew we loved each other more than anything, and we had for a long time now. But we also knew that we'd faced, and were about to again, some big things just because the people around us--well some, anyway—didn't approve of our love.

It made me absolutely crazy that I loved Brie so much and knowing people didn't feel the same way.

People like Sharpay, for instance.

Sharpay had had a crush on me ever since pre-school when she tried to join the game of "Building Blocks" without succession. I didn't want to be mean—that's not who I was or am—I just wanted to show her that I wasn't interested. But apparently even still today, she has a hard time with that. I sighed again and looked over at my phone.

Would she ever call?

**A/N: Five reviews, people! Then I will update. But I need those five reviews before I do. **


	6. First Move

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**Troy's POV: **

Early the next day until way too late that night, I had basketball practice. I didn't focus very well at all. All I could think about was Brie. I'd already almost lost her once—at Lava Springs, which happened a summer earlier—No way was I going to let that happen again.

"Troy!" My father bellowed. "Get in the game!" I'd been hearing that way too many times for just one day. By the fifth time he'd shouted it, I was way sick of it. But I turned and tried. The last thing I needed was my father hounding me.

When we finally got a break for lunch, I ate quickly enough so I'd have time to try Brie again.

"Brie, please call me", I nearly begged in response to her answering machine. The message was getting annoying. I just wanted to hear her voice. Her real voice. "I need you and love you and I need to know what's wrong." I snapped my phone shut to see Chad Danforth coming toward me.

"Hey", he said. "What's up?' I sighed. Did I really want to tell him? No, I very well did not. If I did, that would make it true and that to me was the worst possible thing in the world. Did I have to tell him? Yes. I did. I knew I did. He was, after all, my best friend. He knew everything about me, including my feelings for Brie.

"OK", I said. "You ready?" He nodded and I took a breath. This was going to take a lot of air. And a lot of strength. It wasn't quite reality yet, that I was in the possibility of losing the one girl I love more than anything in the entire world. As much as I'd thought about it and obsessed over and paniced over it, there was still a part of my heart to which it wasn't real yet.

"We ran in Sharpay."

"You did? When?"

"A few days ago." Chad knew how big this was. "And she flirted with me."

"And?"

"And, Brie was really upset over it. I haven't heard from her in almost a week." Chad also knew how big this was. "I've been calling and texting for the past few days and not getting any presponse."

"That's so unlike her", Chad said, mirroring my thoughts.

"I know", I said. "That's what I thought, too."

"You know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think you have to go to her."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, in order for you to make things right and good between you guys again, I think it's up to you to make the first move."

Hmm, I thought to myself. Chad just might be onto something here.

**Gabriella's POV: **

It was mid-night.

I was lying on my bed, still in my clothes, and not even trying to sleep.

All day long I'd been trying to summon up the courage to call Troy. Apparently, I didn't have enough pride—or maybe it was the other way around—to admit my defeat. Ro admit how scared I was of losing him. And losing the love we shared all because of a vain girl who always gotten what she wanted. I wasn't ready to face it yet. I wasn't ready to face _him_ yet.

_C'mon, Montez_, I said to myself. _You can do it_. The fact was, though, that I _couldn't_ do it. And I knew that. I knew very well just how scared and lonely I was. I knew I loved him. That was the one thing I'd never, ever doubted.

Until now.

Troy had indeed looked as uncomfortable as I had that day in the ice-cream shop, but I couldn't help but have seen a flicker of amusement in his eyes, too. I had been perfectly fine after it had happened. But when i actually had time to think about it, I realized it really was a big deal.

Thinking about it like I had, thinking about _Troy_ too much like I had, brought tears to my eyes. But never once had I let them drop. I wasn't ready for that. I wasn't ready for a lot of things. I chided myself for being so inexperience, or for at least feeling like I was.

A while later, almost one in the morning, I finally fell atop my bed and let my body claim sleep. Then I drifted off and dreamed for a while. The tears came again and I tried my hardest, harder than I ever had, to hold them in. I needed him. I knew I did.

It was then I heard a knock, coming from my balcony door.

**A/N: Ooh, cliffy! REVIEW!! **


	7. Getting the Truth

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Gabriella's POV: **

A bolt of fear surged through me as I shot out of my uneasy slumber and registered the knock into my brain. And when I realized it was Troy standing on my balcony, another bolt of fear surged through me. I quietly got up and tip-toed to open the door for him.

Was I ready for this?

**Troy's POV: **

She looked nervous as she tip-toed to the door and opened the door for me and I immediately felt bad. She made her way to the bathroom, got a towel, and put it against the door from inside her room so nothing could be seen, and flipped the light on.

"What are you doing here?" She whispered softer than she'd ever whispered anything.

"I had to see you", I whispered back. "Since calling and texting didn't work." She ducked her head and I could see a few tears well in her eyes.

"Nothing happened", I whispered. "You have to know that." She now looked up at me.

"I do know that", Brie said. _Then why haven't you talked to me?_ I wanted to say but didn't. "I'm just not sure of something else."

"And what's that?" I couldn't rush her. I just couldn't.

"Do you still love me?"

**Gabriella's POV: **

There. I had done it.

I had dropped the L Bomb.

I sucked in my breath as Troy exploded.

"Still love you!" Troy exclaimed quietly. "Brie, of course I do. Where did you get the idea I didn't.?"

"Sharpay", I said almost inaudibly. I guess he didn't hear me though.

"What?"

"Sharpay", I said a little louder. Then he softened and tried.

"Baby, I am so sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry for?"

"For making you feel this way. I should've come a long time ago."

"What did you do to make me feel this way?" I asked quietly.

"I'm sorry we ran in Sharpay."

"Are you sorry you flirted with her?" Whoa. I had really challenged him now. I held my breath, fearing his answer. But there was no going back. I didn't really want to, anyway. The run-in with Sharpay had scrambled my feelings and had deeply shaken my trust in my love for Troy and his love for me.

I was aching for the truth.

"Brie, no", Troy said, bringing me back. "How could you even think that?"

I broke then. My head was pounding and I was dizzy. The only place where things made any sense at all was in Troy's arms. Not being in them, not being with him for so long, was making me crazy.

The tears came back then, too. I'd made myself so strong and not give in, and now my shield was coming down hard. I tried harder than I ever had to hold them in but it didn't work very well. Not very well at all.

Seeing this, Troy softened. As desperate as he looked and most likely was, as much pain as I'd caused him, he still knew. He still loved me.

"Oh, Baby." Troy came and put his arms around me and kissed the top of me head. "Brie, I do still love you", he said into my hair.

"I know you do", I said. Now he pulled away.

"Then why didn't you talk to me?"

"I couldn't", I barely managed to whisper.

"Why not?" His voice was nice and soft.

"I was so afraid of losing you. I was so scared of Sharpay stealing you away from me."

"Just from flirting with me?"

"I just thought…never mind."

"Say it", he gently urged, thinking of three-year-old Sharpay, trying to play "Building Blocks" with him. "You can tell me anything. You know that."

"I just thought that maybe….that maybe she would….want you so bad, that, maybe…" I was having a hard time with this and I hated myself for it. When had I become like this? _Why_ had I become like this? Troy must've known, because he helped me to clarify.

"You thought she'd steal me away? Brie, I wouldn't let that happen." But I finished.

"I thought that maybe…you wanted her, too." Troy looked like he'd been slapped. Tears automatically climbed into my eyes for feeling so bad.

"Baby, I've never wanted her. I won't ever want her. You, Gabriella Montez, are the one I want, and the one I want for the rest of my life. You've got to know that." I began to cry again. I did know that. Honest I did. I just wanted to love him again. I cried then for all the pain I'd caused myself but moreover for the pain I'd caused Troy. I cried for him still loving me even after all I'd done. I cried for the fight with my sister that wasn't over yet. I cried for everything.

He then came over and kissed me on the lips. The kiss was deep and long and I loved it. I could tell he did, too. And that's how I knew things were good between us again. That's how I knew he loved me.

"You'll never lose me", Troy vowed as the rain started on the roof and as he stepped out on the balcony to make his way home. "Not ever."

**A/N: I hope you liked it and thought it was realistic enough! I sure loved writing it! But, now I'm kind of stuck. Give me some ideas and REVIEW! Five reviews before chapter eight. I'm serious! **


	8. Worried

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Gabriella's POV: **

Now that things were cleared up with the whole Sharpay fiasco, things were good with Troy and I. Maybe even great.

It was mid-June now and we were on another Dairy-Queen excursion, seeing as Sharpay had ruined the last one when I suddenly had a horrible thought.

"Troy", I gasped and he stopped. He kept a firm hold on my hand, which he had been doing ever since that awful fight as a symbol of him being there, always, for me. I loved him for it.

"Brie, what's wrong?"

"W-What if we run into Sharpay again? What if she—What if she…" I let my sentence trail off and horrible images of flirting take over my brain. I shook my head to get rid of them but they were like peanut butter on the roof of a mouth—they were stuck.

**Troy's POV: **

"Brie, that won't happen. I promise."

I knew I was going out on a limb with the whole "Promise" thing, but it seemed to me a very slim bet. Ever since our fight, I had tried my hardest to reassure Brie that I would never leave, that I always would love her, that I didn't want Sharpay, and that I only wanted her. It seemed I was also trying to reassure myself that nothing like our awful fight would happen again, because that fight had scared me more than even I myself knew.

Brie then bit her lip and looked uncertain as we started to walk again. I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her cheek in reassurance. I had to let her know that I was here for her. I had to. We walked to the ice-cream shop and Brie stopped again as she saw a signature pink car sitting in the parking lot.

"Brie, sweetie", I said, "It's OK." I didn't want for her to get worked up. She'd been stressed enough. And besides, who says it was Sharpay, anyway?

Brie walked uncertainly into the cool confinement of the building and was doing just fine.

That is, until Sharpay came along.


	9. Score One for Team Love

A/N: Sorry for it being so short

**A/N: Sorry for it being so short. It just seemed right to end it there. **

Chapter 9

**Troy's POV: **

I kept my grip on Brie nice and tight. I had to let her know I was here for her and that I wouldn't for the life of me let her get hurt. I almost bumped into her, though, when she stopped dead in her tracks after spotting Sharpay with a bunch of her friends.

I wondered what Sharpay would do. I wondered what _Brie _would do. Whatever she decided, I knew I'd have to let Brie fight her own battles if she was going to be strong. I would only come in for defense. I just had one question left:

What was Sharpay even doing here?

Who knew she like Dairy Queen so much, anyway?

**Gabriella's POV: **

I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of Sharpay and I could hear Troy gasp as he tried to stop fast enough. Usually, I would've laughed. But I couldn't this time. I was way too nervous.

Troy and I had been in our own little bubble of love ever since the fight and neither of us had ever even thought about running in Sharpay again.

Until now.

Seeing her, made me want to cry, but moreover, it was starting to make me mad. I steamed up inside thinking of all the trouble she'd caused—here, Lava Springs, school, and everywhere and anywhere else—and by the time I had run out of places, I was good and mad and ready to fight.

"Go get our ice-cream, OK? I'm going to talk to Sharpay."

"Brie, do you think that's a good idea? I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'll be fine", I said, not as certain as I said I was. Would I really be fine? I didn't know. But, I did know I needed to do this. And that's why I nodded and said yes.

"OK", Troy said uncertainly. "But I'll be watching to see if I need to step in and save you."

"Hopefully I won't need saving", I said and then I walked off in the direction of my enemy.

"Sharpay", I said sternly, the way I had at Lava Springs, "I need to talk to you." Sharpay looked confused for a minute, smiled to her friends in that I've-got-some-business-to-take-care-of way, and we walked away from the group.

"Talk", she said. "I don't have all day."

"I know you don't", I said. "Neither do I." I then glanced toward Troy, who smiled at me.

Sharpay fumed.

"Just because you have a boyfriend doesn't give you the right to run it in other people's faces:

"Isn't that what you'd do, though, if you had him?" I asked innocently, knowing what was about to happen next.

"No", she said. "Of course not", even though I know she knew herself that that was exactly what she'd do if she had Troy. But I didn't come over here to show him off. I came to tell Sharpay up and that's what I'd do.

"Sharpay, this little game of yours has been fun, but don't you think it's time to end it?"

"Gabriella, let me tell you something. Ever since you got here, Troy's been all nice to you, showing you around. And he even told you he loved you. Such a sweet boy." She smiled sweetly fake and continued. "But, as soon as you move again, he'll want me back again."

"Sharpay, let me tell _you_ something. Truthfully, I've been afraid of your power to take Troy away from me, from the first day I got here. We actually fought about it recently." At that, Sharpay looked satisfied. "But, because of our little run-in with you a few weeks ago, we've actually grown stronger." Sharpay's I-Won grin was fading now and it was rather satisfying to watch. "So, thanks, Sharpay. Thanks to you, Troy and I are better than ever and it's all thanks to you." Her look had vanished completely now. I smiled innocently now and flounced all the way back to where Troy was standing with the ice-cream.

"Ready?" He asked, handing me my chocolate sundae.

"Ready", I said, smiling at him. And I was.

**Troy's POV: **

I looked over at Brie, who was smiling away and eating her ice-cream as we strolled along the sidewalk, heading home.

"OK", I asked finally, barely able to hold my curiosity any longer. "What _happened_ over there?" I'd heard the two girls talking and their faces, but I hadn't been able to catch any of the conversation.

"Sharpay's look totally killed by the time you walked away." Brie smiled proudly to herself.

"I just told her up, told her that we wouldn't stand for it anymore and that she was the reason we were so strong."

"Brie!" I exclaimed proudly as she recapped the conversation for me. "Way to _go_!" I wrapped her in a hug and kissed her hair.

"I'd like to think I did a rather nice job myself", she said. And then we walked up to her driveway. And then we kissed for real, in the bright afternoon sunshine, having finally beaten Sharpay.

**A/N: Is that what you meant, covenentsnightmare? I hope so. Thanks so much for your idea! It really helped! **


	10. Paradise in Jeporady

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**Troy's POV: **

"Something's up with them", I insisted again. I'd said it so many times that I could tell Brie was getting sick of it, but trying not to say anything. Instead, she turned to me.

"I'm sure it's nothing", she said reassuringly. Her voice was the best comfort in the world. So was her laugh.

"I wish I could say I thought that, too", I said. "But I can't. They're different. Something's different. I know it." Brie leaned over and kissed me.

"It'll be fine", she said.

Why couldn't I believe that, too?

LATER….Still Troy's POV

"We'd better go", I said. "I promised your mother I'd get you home by eleven." She looked reluctant and I couldn't help but smile at her.

Truthfully, I wanted to get home. My parents had something to tell me and I could already tell that the news wasn't going to be good. Not very good at all.

And then there we were.

I parked in front of Brie's house and walked her to her door.

"My parents have something to tell me", I said when we started to kiss nice and slow like we always did. But, hearing me say that, Brie kissed me one last time and said, "Go."

"I'll call", I said. And then I added, like always, "I love you." And then Brie smiled.

"I love you, too", she said.

And there I went. I just had to get home. I just had to. And when I did, I wasn't very happy at what I saw. My mother was looking like Brie does when she's nervous or upset. My father looked stern and impatient.

"Where the heck have you been?" My father demanded not one second after I'd gotten through the door.

"Out with Brie", I replied. "I told you that before I left."

"Troy", my mother said now. "Your father and I have something to tell you."

"What?" I asked, suddenly a five year old again and scared.

"We're moving."

"Moving!" I exclaimed. "I can't _move_!"

"You can and you will", my father ordered. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. It was way too crazy.

"I made a promise to Brie! I promised her I'd never leave her. I _promised_ her."

"I know you did, sweetie, but—

"But nothing. I told her I'd never leave her and I meant it. And with the fight we just had, she's just beginning to trust me again. A Bolton doesn't go back on his promises", I said, turning to my father. "Weren't you the one who taught me that?" And then I fumed up again. "Why are we moving? And to where, anyway?"

"I was getting to that", my father spat. Then, thanksfully, my mother intervened.

"Troy, we're moving to New York. Your father got a job offer and we'll actually be in the same state as your grandparents, for once."

"I'm not going", I insisted. "I can't leave Brie. I promised her I wouldn't."

"You are, Troy, whether you like it or not. You've got no choice here", my father said now.

"But you did!" I shot back. "Why did you have to make this one?"

"That's none of your business", my father snapped.

"I'm seventeen! Almost a senior in high school!"

"Just because you're seventeen doesn't mean you know everything."

"Maybe I don't, but I do know one thing."

"Oh, yeah?" My father dared. "And what might that be, Big Shot?"

"I know that I'm not moving."

"We'll talk about this more tomorrow", my father said, gruff.

So, I turned and went up to my room, where I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I had a phone call to make.

**Gabriella's POV: **

_Well, that was weird. _

Troy had just called me, like he said he would, and made a date for tomorrow night. His voice had sounded off and I knew I shouldn't press, but I couldn't help but wonder.

"Why can't you just tell me now?"

"Because I just can't, Brie, OK? I'll tell you tomorrow night. I'll pick you up at seven. Be sure to dress fancy." And then he paused. "I love you", he said.

"I love you, too", I said. And then we both hung up.

And then I began to wonder.


	11. Watching Her World Fall Down

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

**Gabriella's POV: **

"Troy, please tell me", I said to him again. "I know something's up. Just tell me." Troy sighed again. He'd been doing that, and looking worried, all through the dinner. We were at a new French restaurant. I had waited all day for his news and I couldn't wait any longer.

"Brie. Please. Not now."

"Yes now", I said. "I've been waiting all day. I've been really worried." Troy looked down at his plate then back up at me.

"I just know you're not going to like it", he said finally. "I know I sure don't."

"Tell me", I all but begged right in front of everyone. "_Please_?"

"We're moving", he said flatly.

**Troy's POV: **

God, I hated this. I watched Brie's world fall around the both of us after the bomb had went off that I was moving. I'm pretty sure mine went right along with it. Tears welled in her eyes and she dabbed them with a napkin.

"Check, please", she said. And then we both ran out.

LATER…Still Troy's POV

"Brie-Brie, its OK", I said as we got out of the car at the park. We had decided to go there. I knew she couldn't go home without answers. We strolled to a bench and sat down. The air was warm with that summer-y feeling.

"No", she said, half-crying, "it's not OK."

"Actually, screw that, it isn't. OK", I said. "Is it?"

"No", she said, shaking her head. "It isn't OK at all." I wrapped my arms around her. "When are you moving?"

"I don't know", I admitted. "All I do know is that we're moving to New York because my father got a job offer and to be closer to my grandparents." That sounded lame even to my ears. The sad thing was that it was the truth.

"Please don't leave", Brie sobbed, tears soaking into the fabric of my shirt and onto my skin. "Please don't leave me." She sounded so helpless I wanted to cry right there with her, too. This ultimately, was the hardest and most painful thing I'd ever done in my entire life. I hated, absolutely _hated_, hurting her like this. It was unbearable.

"I said I wouldn't go. I said that I'd made a promise to never leave you and that I couldn't go. I couldn't leave you." Tears fell harder from Brie's eyes now as I said that and I hated myself, and my parents, for it.

Didn't they know how much this would hurt Brie? Didn't they know how much this would affect her? Didn't they know how much trust I was losing in her right now?

"Brie", I said suddenly and she looked up at me. "Do you still trust me?" A few tears made their way down her cheeks as she nodded.

"I've never stopped."

"But, I'm moving!" I exclaimed.

"I know you are", she said softly. "That doesn't mean I don't trust you. This wasn't your fault." And then she must've thought about it again, because she shut her eyes tight and a few tears made their way out. I wrapped my arms around her again and she laid her head on my shoulder. And then I let her cry and cry and cry.

A few hours later, Brie and I headed home. She was almost asleep but trying so hard to stay awake. Crying took a lot of energy. I knew that now from watching Brie.

When we pulled up to her house, I brought her up to her door. I kissed her long and deep.

"I love you, Brie", I said and she looked ready to cry again.

"I- I love you too", she said in a wobbly voice and then she headed on inside.

**Gabriella's POV: **

When I got inside my house and Troy had pulled away, I was still crying. That must've been why my mother had jumped up and said, "Sweetie, what's wrong?" Just thinking about it made me want to cry and scream and run away all at the same time. I shook my head and more tears came. **A/N: I know she's crying a lot. It's for dramatic effect. **

"He's moving", I said unsteadily. I didn't know how much longer I could think about it. I was surprised I could even say it.

"Moving!" My mother exclaimed. And I shook my head again. I really did not want to cry, but I knew I was about to again.

"L-let's talk about this in the morning, OK, Mom?" And then I ran up to my room so she wouldn't see me cry.

**A/N: Recruit some more readers, OK, you guys! I need reviews! **

**Oh, and did you think it was too much drama, too rushed? I love writing drama, but sometimes I get carried away and just pour out one idea after another. It's hard to do such a dramatic story and not take someone else's idea. I wouldn't dare, though, if that's what you're thinking. I'm much, much too nice to even think about it. **

**REVIEW!!**


	12. Love and Hate

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

**Troy's POV: **

"Troy, we've been going over this for an hour", my father said. He sounded tired. Probably because he was. It was late. But I was still too angry with him to be sympathetic about being tired. I was too angry with him to be sympathetic about anything.

"Did you have any idea at all when you announced we were moving how much that would affect my girlfriend?" I looked at their blank, stern faces, trying to convince themselves that they'd still made the right choice. Apparently, my father seemed to think so. My mother, however, did not. "Did you have any idea how upset Brie is right now? I've never seen her cry so hard in her entire life."

"That's because you haven't known her your entire life", Jack pointed out smugly.

"You know what? Maybe I haven't. But I do know that when Brie ever cries something is seriously wrong."

"So that little fight you had was serious?" My father asked sarcastically.

"It almost ruined our whole relationship!" I exploded at him. How could he not see this? How couldn't he see how wrong this was for me? Why couldn't he see I was needed here? That I _wanted_ to be here?

"Why can't you see how wrong this is for me?" I shouted at my father.

"Because you don't see it yet yourself. You'll be better off in New York without all this drama."

"Well, you know what? I like drama. Love it, actually, because if drama means being with Brie, then I'll do it. I'll do anything, absolutely anything, for Brie."

"Troy", my mother said, sensing a nasty fight coming on between my father and I, "why don't you go see Gabriella? Your father I have some things to work out about the move."

"I'm not five years old, anymore, Mom", I said back. "You can't send me away on a bribe. As great and wonderful as Brie is, I need to be here, getting the scoop."

"We can and we will", Jack snapped back. "Now go." He pointed to the stairs as if I was dog, doing a trick wrong.

So I went. And while I was up there, I did some serious thinking.

I hated my parents. Well, I disliked my mother right now. At least she wasn't screaming at me. I hated my father definitely, though. That was almost too obvious.

And I loved Brie. More than anything in the entire world. I couldn't leave her. I just couldn't. I had promised her and I wasn't one to go back on a promise. Not ever.

**Gabriella's POV: **

"Jewels, please", I begged. "Please talk to me." My sister was kind of over our fight now, I was guessing. But I couldn't have been very sure from the way I kept bugging her. I was getting annoyed myself….with myself. How lame is that? "I'm sorry", I said to her and she looked up. She smiled at me faintly and that's how I knew things were good.

"Here's you cell", Julia said, handing me my phone. "You left it out on the porch." I squeezed my eyes shut as she mentioned the place where I had snuck out the week before, the night Troy told me he was moving, and he'd listened to me cry for two hours.

Suddenly, I needed to see him. I just had to.

**A/N: Ag! I have such a GREAT idea for this story! I'm getting all excited just thinking about it! REVIEW!!**


	13. Truth

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

**Gabriella's POV: **

And in the middle of everything, my mother had to give me the worst news in my entire life.

_Flashback: _

_"Ella? Sweetie?" My mother asked two days after Troy had announced he was moving. "Can I talk to you for a second?" I looked at her confused. Since when did she get nervous? _

_"Sure", I said. "Go ahead." My mother looked down and I swear I could see fear in her eyes. _

_"Mom", I said then. "What's wrong?" Then I noticed that my mother was crying. _

_"He's back", she said. _

_End Flashback _

I still was pondering over it. I still didn't quite get it.

Apparently, when I was seven, my dad died. Well, everyone thought he did. But he really didn't. He was still out there. Files got mixed up and he had an identify crisis for a while.

And now he was back.

I didn't really know who to believe anymore. I hadn't told Troy yet. But then again, I'd only heard hours ago.

"Mom, is that really true?"

"About what?"

"About…what you told me?" Her voice and face clouded over and she nodded.

"Yes, Gabriella. It's true."

"What are we going to do about it?"

"I don't know, sweetie. I just don't know."

"Have you told Jewels yet?"

"No, and please don't say anything to scare her."

"Mom, of course I won't", I said. "I'm not an idiot." And then I grew thoughtful. "She must've been around three or four when it happened, right?"

"Right", my mother answered. "That's why I'm waiting to tell her. I don't think she'll find it very important, just because she wasn't affected by it like you were."

"Oh, don't remind me", I groaned. And then I thought again. "But, she's going to frek if you keep it from her."

"I know she will", my mother said. "I'll tell her tonight."

**Troy's POV: **

"Talk to me", I said when I picked up the phone. And then I heard Brie's voice. I immediately thought something was wrong. "Is everything OK?"

"Well…" And there she paused.

"Do you want me to come?"

"No, you don't have to." Again she was silent. "But, could you? I have something to tell you."

"I'm on my way", I said. And I was.

**A.N: Drama is never realistic, people, not really, full of plot twists and turns and crying and all sorts of bad things that make people crazy for it. So, if you don't like this idea….then don't read, because I finally have landed a good one. Tell, me what you think, though, because I really am interested and want to you know what you think. Sorry it's so short. That's the secret to nice long stories, I think. **

**REVIEW!!**


	14. Telling

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

**Gabriella's POV: **

"Mom", I said. "I just called Troy…Can I tell him?" My mother seemed to take a long time to think. Finally, she answered me.

"Yes, Gabriella. You may. But do it outside. The porch, maybe? Just somewhere your sister can't hear. I don't want it to have to come out that way." I nodded. And then I waited for Troy to arrive.

**Troy's POV: **

I was just heading out the door when my father approached me.

"Where are you going?"

"To Brie's. She needs me." My father almost looked crestfallen, as if this "moving" thing really was a bad idea. He almost looked like he was sorry. But only for a second. He quickly regained composure as he said, "Alright, but be back in two hours. We have some things to discuss about the move." When he said that, my insides turned to ice and my mind screamed, "BRIE!" I swallowed hard and was desperate to get out of there. Still, I looked at him just barely and said, "OK. I'll be there."

And then I fled before my father could ask me any more questions.

**Gabriella's POV: **

Thinking about it now, I'm getting all upset. I don't know what's wrong with me. I thought about my dad, who was out there somewhere and who'd "come back" and then I thought about Troy and desperately wanted him to hurry up. What was _that_ about? I thought to myself. This whole summer was making me all needy. I felt like stamping my foot and screaming until my lungs ran out of air.

And then I saw Troy coming up the walk, looking worried. I burst out the door and into his arms. He held me tight in his grip.

"What's wrong?"

"Let's talk about it over here", I said leading him to the porch steps. We both sat on the top one, me almost in his lap, and he waited for me to speak.

"My dad's alive", I whispered to the concrete. There. I had done it.

"He really isn't dead?" Troy asked breathlessly, still holding me tight. Just hearing the words made my throat go dry. I nodded.

"Oh, Breezy", he whispered and hugged me tighter to him. I did not want to cry.

"He's come back", I whispered. "My mom just told me."

"Are you OK with it?"

"I-I'm not sure", I managed. "It hasn't really sunk in yet." My chin was quivering again. What was _wrong_ with me?

Troy noticed, too. He lifted my quivering chin with the tip of his finger so he was looking right into my eyes.

"Brie", he said softly and soothingly. "Everything's going to be OK."

"How do you know that?" I asked. "You're moving in two weeks!" My chin was shaking and my eyes were watery. I clamped my mouth shut to keep my chin still. I was loosing my grip fast. I had to get control.

Troy was looking right at me when I began to cry.

**Troy's POV: **

Oh, _that's_ the problem, I thought to myself as I held Brie and rocked her. She probably wasn't very upset about her dad yet, seeing as it hadn't really sunk in. She was just sad I wouldn't be there for it.

"Oh, Brie" I whispered into her hair as I held her as she cried.

"I just need you so much", she sobbed into to the fabric of my shirt.

"I know you do. I need you, too."

And I did. I couldn't leave now. I couldn't have left before. She needed me and I needed her more than either of us knew yet.

"I will never leave you", I vowed. Gabriella raised her tear-stained face to look at me.

"Yes you will. You're moving." She almost lost her grip again as she said the words.

"No", I said firmly. "I'm not. There is no way in heck I am leaving you." She finally was steady.

"Troy, be reasonable", she said now. "You can't not move just because you don't want to. Trust me, it _so_ doesn't work that way."

"But maybe it will if my parents see how much we need each other." I could tell she was thinking, _doubt it_, but she didn't say anything. She just sighed.

"Troy, listen." I had a sudden fear: Was she going to break up with me? She'd said those exact words right before she broke up with me at Lava Springs. Luckily, I didn't have to worry. "I know you want this to work", she said softly. "Believe me, I do, too, but it can't. It just can't." The tears were back.

"But we can try, can't we?" That got her to smile and it made my heart glad.

"It's worth a shot", she said, standing up. I kissed her then on the forehead and off we went, to fight for love.

--

**A/N: This chapter is based on Agustana's song, "Sweet and Low." Awesome song! **

**Did you think it was realistic? Do you like the idea of her dad coming back? I think I do, because a TON of drama is going to follow. **

**REVIEW! **


	15. Fighting for Love

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

**Troy's POV: I know I've done a lot of those **

"Gabriella, sweetie", my mother said as she stood in the doorway to my house, "how nice to see you. How's your mom?"

"She's good."

"You sister?"

"She's good, too."

" And you?"

Brie didn't answer that one. To keep her cover, she just shrugged.

My father came in then and seeing Gabriella, his face fell. I know Brie saw it. I squeezed her hand for reassurance, and she squeezed mine back, letting me know she was alright. She tried to smile and just barely made it.

"Mom", I said then, "Brie and I have something to talk to you about."

"Sure, Troy", my mother said and then she led the way to the living room. I wrapped my arm around Brie's waist and she snuggled into me as we followed my mother.

"Mom, we can't move." My mother sighed.

"And why do you think that?" Her voice sounded tired. I knew she was.

"Because Brie needs me." My mother looked over at my girlfriend and then she sighed again. She looked right at Gabriella with a saddened expression. I couldn't quite tell what she was thinking, or what Brie was. Brie's face was blank, as if she was readying herself for something she might not like.

"Troy, I know you want to stay here", my mother said, looking at me again. "I know you're needed here." At that, she looked At Gabriella. "But your father…"

"Can't you stand up to him? Tell him that moving isn't the right thing to do?" At my outburst against my father, my mother quickly closed the door, as if she hoped my father hadn't heard, even though I knew she'd seen him go out.

"Troy, you know when your father makes a decision its final." My mother was really trying hard to convince herself she was wrong.

"But, you, Mom, are the one who can help him change his mind", I said looking squarely at her. "Right?" My mother looked at me, and slowly, she started to nod.


	16. Suspisions

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

**Troy's POV: Don't worry. I'm thinking of doing a Gabriella one next chapter, which will be up soon **

We'd been at this for an hour when my mother finally noticed.

"Gabriella, sweetie, is something wrong?"

"My dad is back", Brie said unsteadily. I could tell she was trying hard not to cry. Not after she'd already done it once. I wrapped my arms around her, silently telling her that it was perfectly OK for her to cry again, and then the tears came back. She was a very beautiful, graceful crier. I couldn't help but want to smile. That was so like Brie. She even cried perfectly.

"See, Mom", I said over the top of my girlfriend's head. "This is why I can't leave." My mother looked as if she too was trying not to cry and I couldn't help but feel bad.

"I'm sorry", my mother said quickly, clearly, as if she hadn't needed time to digest the news. Brie's sobs were winding down to whimpers now but I still held her. But I looked up at my mother, who was staring into space.

Did she know something?


	17. Waiting to Tell

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

**Gabriella's POV: See? I told ya I'd do one!**

After Troy dropped me off at home, I met my mother in the kitchen.

Ever since she'd told me about my father, which was only a few hours ago, she'd been silent, staring into space. I guess I had, too. Until Troy knocked some sense back into me. The only one who hadn't was Julia, who was out with her friends. I wondered when she'd get back.

"Hey, Mom?"

"Yeah, sweetie?" she said in that distracted, off-handed kind of way. I needed to pull her back. I needed her to listen to me.

"When are you going to tell Jewels?" Now my mother looked up.

"I'm not sure. I just pray it won't hurt her." I inwardly winced. Had it hurt me yet? I wasn't sure. I hoped I would be soon. I hate not knowing things I should. Especially things about myself.

I let the question alone for the time being and went up to my room. I pulled my phone out of my bag and called my sister.

"_What_?" Julia said, annoyed, when she picked up.

"You've got to come home", I said. I knew she really didn't have to, but I just needed her to know. I needed my mother to be able to tell her.

"Why? Is something wrong?" I thought a few minutes before I spoke again. "Ella?" My sister spoke into the phone, worried now. "Ella?"

"No, Jewels, no", I said quickly. "There's nothing wrong. Mom just has something to tell you."

"Can't it wait? I'm kind of busy over here." I could hear the sounds of the latest rap CD playing.

"No, Jewels", I said. "It can't. Please come home." My sister thought before she spoke.

"OK", she said finally. "I'll come home."

"Great. Thanks, Jewels", I said.

"This better be worth it", she said more to herself than to me.

"Don't worry", I said, surprising her. "It is."

I snapped my phone shut and bounded down the stairs.

"Mom", I said again, entering the kitchen a second time. "Jewels is coming home. You can tell her." My mother seemed to think about it. I left her alone with her thoughts while I waited for my sister to get home.

When she finally did, my sister went up to her room and I followed her.

"Mom has something to tell you", I said.

"You told me that on the phone. I'll wait for her to tell her myself." Julia was already texting her friends on her phone and I knew I'd made her leave in a bad spot.

I was on my way to my own room to call Troy when I saw my mother at the top of the stairs. I went over to her.

"I'm going to tell her, Gabriella", she said. "I'm going to tell her about your father." I followed her, tossing my phone onto my bed. I was definitely sticking around for this.


	18. Knowing Something

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**Troy's POV: **

As soon as I got back from dropping Brie off, I immediately went off to find my mother. I found her in the kitchen.

"Mom?" I asked. She looked up, startled.

"Yes?"

"Do you know something?"

"Something about what?" She asked, although I could've sworn she knew something. I knew she knew something. She had to've.

"About Brie's dad."

Then her face turned white. And then red when she noticed and tried to shake it off but couldn't.

And that's when I knew she knew something.

"I know there's something you're not telling me", I said, as I sat down at the island. "There's no use hiding it." Then my mother sat down, too, looking defeated.

**Jessica's POV: Jessica is Troy's mother **

My whole body shook and my legs felt weak even though I was sitting down.

"Mom?"

_I can't tell you!_ I felt like screaming. _I just can't!_

But I had to. I knew I did.

I took a deep breath and tried not to feel so sick.

"You want the truth?" I said finally.

"Yes."

"You're sure?"

"Yes!" I was stalling. I knew I was. But I just couldn't tell! I just couldn't.

"I won't tell anyone, Mom", Troy said then. "You know that." How could he read me so well? I figured it had something to do with Gabriella, even though I knew he could read her better than anyone else in the world. Including me.

I took another breath and tried.

"When I was 20, I met Greg on the beaches of the Florida Keys on Spring Break of my sophomore year in college."

"Wait a minute", Troy said then. "Who's Greg?" I felt as though I might faint and was awful glad I was sitting down. I'd never told anyone this before.

"Gabriella's dad." I let the shock settle over Troy's face before I continued. "Anyway", I said. "We met on the dance floor, at the party. We danced and talked and kissed at the end of the night. We spend the rest of my break together and by the end of it, we knew we were in love." Troy's look was one of shock.

"So, then what?"

"Then, he came to visit me and stayed all summer. We were wild and crazy and we got married. It only lasted a week, though, because my roommate found out and knocked some sense into us."

"So you fell in love with the guy?" Troy said. "That doesn't sound so bad." His voice was the one he used when he was soothing Gabriella when she cried. Nice and smooth and soft.

"You didn't let me finish", I said and then Troy was quiet.

"In the fall, when we he went back to Harvard, and when I went back to school, I was miserable for him. I tried and tried to get together with him but he seemed so distant, so…_not the same_, as he had before. It was right before Easter of that year when I found out he was engaged to Gabriella's mother.

"I couldn't grasp it. I didn't want to. I thought, I still thought, and knew in my heart, that I loved him. It was that he didn't love me that I couldn't grab hold of. I thought we'd be together forever.

"I cried and cried and wanted him so much that I-I went up to see him and I-I was so desperate for him that I-We—We _Did It_."

I whispered the last part and felt hot tears gang up in my eyes. I didn't dare look at my son.

"You had an _affair_ with him?" I nodded, since my throat was clogged.

"I thought he was my one and only love. I was so desperate for him that I didn't care what anyone else thought—including Christine."

Troy got up and backed toward the door.

"Please don't be mad", I begged him.

But he'd already run up the stairs to his door and had slammed the door behind him.


	19. Explanations

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

**Gabriella's POV: **

My mother went into my sister's room, where she was still texting. Upon seeing my mother, though, Julia closed her phone and tossed it on the bed.

"Juls", my mother said softly and slowly, "I have something to tell you."

"I already know", Julia said and my mother looked up, surprised.

"She told you?" My mother shot a glance at me. Then Julia backed up a little.

"No, no", she said, shaking her head. "Ella just told me you had something to tell me."

"Oh", my mother said, and then she smiled apologetically at me.

Julia and I stood waiting.

"Juls", my mother began and then she stopped herself. And then she began again and tried. "Your dad….he's not…."

"Daddy's dead, right?" I didn't know if I wanted to slap my sister or hug her.

"But he's not…"

"Daddy's not really dead, Juls", I said softly. "He's come back." Julia's face went blank and she glanced back at the picture of her and Daddy at a baseball game, sitting on her desk. She was three and sitting on Daddy's shoulders.

"What?" Her words were soft and I couldn't but want to feel, need to feel, Troy's hand gripping mine, telling me it was all going to be alright. I wasn't sure I could do this.

"Your father's come back, Juls", my mother said to confirm the statement. "He didn't really die." Julia looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

I left the room then, because I just couldn't take it, and sat on my bed. I could hear Julia asking about me as I dialed Troy's number. I could hear my mother tell her I'd be fine when he picked up.

'Hey", he said. "I was just about to call you." Then he paused. "What's up?"

"My mom told Julia."

"About your dad?"

"Yeah."

"How did she take it?"

"I'm not sure. I left before I could find out."

"I was hard, wasn't it?" I gulped back tears and said yes. I didn't want to be weak. But I was.

'Troy?" I said then. "Is something wrong? It sound like something is wrong."

"No, Brie, no", he said. "Nothing's wrong."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. I'm more worried about you."

"I'll be alright", I said, because I knew I would be. "But are you sure you are?" I just needed to know he was fine.

"I'm fine, Brie", Troy said again, but I couldn't help wondering if he really was.

**Troy's POV: **

I lapped my room again. I had just gotten off the phone with Brie. I hadn't meant to be snippy with her and I was feeling bad and had just picked up my phone to call and apologize when my mother knocked on my door.

"Troy?" She said timidly. "Can I come in?"

"Can you explain why you did what you did? Can you explain how it will affect me and Brie?" I knew I was pushing it but I didn't care.

"I did it because I was young and stupid and in love", my mother said coming into my room and closing the door softly behind her. "I met your father that following summer, though, and found out what real love was. I knew he didn't have to walk away from me like Greg had to, to be faithful to Christine."

"Does Christine know? Does Brie?"

"I'm not sure if Christine does or not but I know for a fact that Gabriella doesn't." I ran a hand through my hair and paced around my room again.

"How am I going to tell Brie?"

"You aren't."

"Why?" I asked. "It's _Brie's_ dad. She deserves to know."

"Troy, she just found out her father's not really dead and is alive. How do you think she'd feel if she knew he'd had an affair, too? She doesn't know much about him except for the dad he used to be to her. She could get the wrong idea."

"You're right", I said, then. "She'd be heartbroken."

"Don't tell her yet, OK?"

"I won't", I promised sincerely. "But will you tell Christine? So she knows?"

"Troy, what good will that do? She'll find out sooner or later."

"But better it be from you now that from him afterward, right?"

**Jessica's POV: **

I looked at my son, so hopeful in the eyes, that I shuddered inside. I could tell _Christine!_ She'd hate me. I know she would. Does she even know? Would it ruin our friendship? Would it break my son and his girlfriend up?

The thoughts were spinning and swirling around and around in my head.

'OK", I said softly, even though I was lying. Troy looked satisfied and I left the room.

When I left, I was shaking. I couldn't tell! I felt like screaming at the top of my lungs. _I just can't! _I shook my head at the thought and blocked it out. I wouldn't do that. There were too many reasons why I couldn't.

--

**A/N: How'd you like that? I liked it, but of course, I love drama, so of course I like it. I just hope you readers do, too. **

**Question: Should I keep inside the summer months, like I'd originally planned and start another one when the fall comes, or keep going with this same book? **

**REVIEW! **


	20. Wondering

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

**Julia's POV: I decided she could help the story along a little, make it more interesting**

"Ella?" I said softly, shaking my sister awake gently. "Ella?" My sister shifted and I knew she was waking up.

"Juls?" She said groggily. "What's wrong?" She sat up a little bit.

"I just—I just— God, I was horrible at this. "I just was wondering…"

"Is it Daddy?" When I nodded, Ella looked like she might burst into tears.

"I was just wondering about him…"

"I know", my sister said. "I am, too."

**Jessica's POV: **

"Jack, please", I pleaded. It was a few days later, heading into mid-July.

"Jess, no. I'm not doing it."

"But why? Troy can't move. You've seen how he and Gabriella are together."

"She's not the only girl out there, Jess."

"But she's the only one for him", I said. "And you know it." Then I paused. "Why are we moving in the first place?" Jack was silent.

I decided to keep going.

"We can't move. We just can't. We don't have a reason to. We're just moving because we can and that's not a good enough reason. Not for me." My husband almost looked scared for a second.

"So, you're saying…."

"If you still move…I'll—I'll leave you."

"Jess, you can't be serious."

"I am, Jack. Believe me." He thought about it a while before he spoke.

"Alright, Jess. If it means keeping you and Troy here, then…we won't move."

"Thank you, Jack", I said gratefully, wrapping my arms around him and kissing him softly. "I'd better go tell Troy."

"You don't have to", a voice said behind me. I turned and there was Troy. His smile lit up the room and I couldn't help but want to smile with him. "I'd better go tell Brie", he said and out the door he went.


	21. Sweet

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

**Gabriella's POV: **

I still felt weird.

My sister had woken me up early, early this morning, wondering about Daddy. I still called him that because that's what he was to me. He still was. I was only seven when he died. Small enough to not know the whole story, but big enough indeed, to feel pain.

Julia is the one I feel sorry for, simply because she didn't have the chance to know him that well at all. So I didn't turn her away when she came to me, even though I wanted to. I didn't want to remember. I didn't want to hurt. I still don't.

People say that time heals all wounds, but I'm beginning to think that's not so true anymore. The wound, the grief for my father, was sealed up for close to 10 years, giving only six months to grieve when I was seven. Now, though, upon the news of my father's return, the wound is broken open and I am hurting.

I'm thinking about this now, sitting on the window seat in the kitchen, and I think it's a little weird. Shouldn't I be happy? My dad is back! Shouldn't that make me happy? Yes. I know it does. But it doesn't. And do you know why?

Because I'm angry.

I'm angry at the hurt my father caused. I'm angry at all we went through for him.

I'm angry at him for not coming back sooner.

Why didn't he? Is it because he couldn't? Or because he didn't want to? What's the deal?

Just then, my thoughts were put on hold when I saw Troy running up the walk and looking excited. He then burst through the door and said, "Brie!" Which annoyed Julia very much, it having interrupted her conversation with her friend.

Troy didn't care, though. He picked me up, wrapped me in his arms, twirled me around and set me down again.

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"We're not moving!"

"You're not?"

"No!"

By this time, we were both jumping up and down and hugging and laughing.

"Oh, Brie!" Troy said as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. I began to kiss back and time slowed down and our heartbeats sped up the way they always did when we kissed.

"Hey", Julia called from her spot on the couch. "Get a room!"

"I think it's sweet", her friend Ashley said, sighing dreamily.

And I thought it was, too.


	22. Better Than That

**A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry for not updating for a while. I was kind of stuck and still kind of am, but decided to write anyway, out of inspiration. So, here's chapter 22! Enjoy! **

Chapter 22

**Troy's POV: **

I took Brie out to dinner, on account of me not moving.

"This is nice", she said as she sipped her water.

"It is", I said, smiling secretly at her.

I loved to just watch her. I could be standing far away, and still see her and love it. I loved to just watch her. Even watching her breathe was exhilarating. It was that way for me, I suspected, just because of how much I loved her, and how much she loved me. And now, watching her smile, I could hardly catch my breath, so you can probably imagine the rush I felt when we kissed, can't you?

"What?" Brie asked now and I snapped back to earth.

"Oh, nothing", I said. She looked doubtful, but she didn't say anything. It was then that I realized she was probably feeling doubtful about lots of things, and that made me feel bad for doing the things I was that weren't to make her feel better. Was this dinner even helping? For the first time in my life since I'd known her, I didn't know how to help her. And that scared me more than anything in the entire world.

**Gabriella's POV: **

I looked clearly at Troy, who was staring into space, thinking about something, most likely. I, however, had my own things to think about.

"What?" I asked. "Why did you smile and then frown? What is it you're looking at me like that for?"

"Nothing", was all he said.

"I know it's not nothing", I said seriously then. "Tell me. Please?" Troy looked troubled and I drew my breath. Was he going to move after all? _Oh, please, God, no. _

"OK", he finally said, looking me right in the eye. "I know you're…_doubtful_ about some things. Some things that happened this summer. I know you're confused and hurt and wondering about things, but I just want you to know—

"Don't worry", I said then. "We'll be OK."

"We will? Are you sure? Am I really making you happy?"

"Troy, yes. Don't think just because of what happened this summer that you don't make me any less happy. You make me perfectly complete. You make me who I am. And, regardless of what went on this summer, I know that will never, ever, ever change."

"You're sure?"

"Positive", I said. And then he smiled, squeezed my hand reassuringly in that special way of his.

"You're really somethin', Brie", Troy said then. "Really something."

I smiled at him, leaned forward and kissed him, and in that moment, I knew things couldn't get any better than that.


	23. Sequel

Hey, readers! Well, I'm planning a super great sequel for Nothing to Break Us. I just need some ideas from you. Like I've said before, you'll get full credit for your ideas. I just need some inspiration. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!


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